Sorting machine



May 7, 1935. c. D. LAKE 2,000,237

SORTING MACHINE Fi1ed De c. 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wan/4 rla X Jul/LAT! 20 C) I [Hall-4 ATTORNEY y 7, 1935; c. D. LAKE 2,000,237

SORTING MACHINE Y Filed Dec. 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- ATTORNEY- Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE son'rme MACHINE Clair D. Lake, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York,

poration of New York N. Y., a cor- Application December 19,1932, Serial No. 647,915

Claims.

5 lerith type of tabulating machine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel means for sorting into separate pockets, groups of cards in which the component individual cards are arranged in a predetermined order. In certain classes of work groups of cards are arranged with a first master card as the first card of the group. This first master card" has a cut corner in what will hereinafter be termed the lower left corner. This card is also perforated in a selected field with data for controlling the selection of the pocket to receive the entire group. Following the first master card are a variable number of detail cards with their upper left corners cut. The last card in each group is called the second master card and has all fourv corners square.

The specific object of the invention then, is to sort the complete group of cards into a pocket determined by the perforated first master card which will set the machine to feed all following cards into the same pocket including the second master card, which restores the setting in preparation for a new selection by the first master card of the following group.

Various other objects and advantages 'of the invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawings; and the invention also constitutes certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows the wiring diagram of. the complete electric circuits of the machine, the mechanical elements of which ave been diagrammatically illustrated and show the elements of a sorting machine as set forth in greater detail in Patent No. 1,741,985.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the order of arrangement of the several cards of a representative group.

Before proceeding with the description of the invention, the sorting machine will be briefly explained as to its general principles. Fig 1 shows an electrically controlled sorting machine in which the sorting of the record cards is accomplished through the medium of a sorting magnet It under the control of abrush relay III which, jointly with the sorting magnet, is in circuit with the sorting brush 22 and, with the sorting magnet, receives exciting current from a source I! as soon as a hole is encountered in the card column analyzed. According to the point of time atwhich the energization of the sorting magnet ll takes place, the armature 23, upon which the ends of the tongues 24. of the guide blades leading to the card receiving pockets 25 rest, determines the destination of the card being analyzed.

The ends of the tongues 24 are spring-urged downwardly by their own resiliency upon the armature 23 so that during the card analyzing cycle the record card is guided between the ends of the tongues 24 and the armature 23, with the result that upon the energization of the sorting magnet ll, only as many tongues 24 arelowered by the armature as do not overlie the record card, while the remaining tongues 24 are kept in raised position by the card itself. For this purpose there is provided a fixed bar 26, parallel to and. on a level with, the armature 23 when in its normal position, arranged to support the record card after the armature 23 is lowered. It may be mentioned that the time of energiza tion of the sorting magnet depends upon the position or the hole in the card column, each of which has twelve index point positions, so that the cards may be guided selectively into any one of the twelve sorting pockets 25.

Through the downward movement effected by energization of the sorting magnet, the tongues 24 disengaged from the card produce a gap between the last tongue held up by the record card and the next adjacent tongue moved downward along with the armature 23, into which gap the record card is conveyed and thereafter guided to the coordinated sorting pocket by means of the usual feeding rollers 21.

If it should happen that there is no perforation in the card column analyzedythe magnet II will not be energized, and the card will pass beneath all of the tongues 24 and will be guided to a thirteenth pocket 25R known as the reject pocket. The card feeding mechanism comprises a picker 28, horizontally reciprocable to feed cards, singly, from the bottom of a stack 29 to a pair of feed rollers 30 which advance the card to and between brush 22 and contact roller 3|.

The drive of the machine is effected by means of a. motor M which is under control of motor relays 32 and 33 in such manner that upon the energization of the relays, the motor is connected to the current source ll. Energization of relays 32 and 33 is effected through depression of the start key to close contacts S, setting up a circuit from negative side of source I'l, wire 34, contacts S, card lever relay 35, relays 32 and 33, wire 36 to positive side of source I'l. Relay 35 closes its points 35a-in series with the usual card lever contacts 31 and forms a shunt around contacts S so that as long as cards continue to run through the machine, the energization of relays 35, 32 and 33 will be maintained. After the last card has passed the brush 22 and the card lever contacts 3'! have opened, or the stop key contacts ST have been opened, the deenergization of relays 35, 32 and 33 is effected, in consequence of which the motor M will be disconnected from the current source I1 and the machine will thereafter come to rest.

In order to secure proper operation of the sorting machine, it is necessary that the sorting magnet remain energized from the moment at which energization takes place until the last index point position in the card column has passed beneath the brush 22. The winding of the brush relay I0 is connected in series with the sorting magnet II and is energized therewith as soon as a hole is encountered in the card colurrm analyzed and corresponding to the adjustment of the contact segments I2 of commutator I3. There are twelve segments I2 and these successively contact with a brush I4 which is connected by a wire I5 to the brush 22 through a switch |5a which is closed for normal sorting operations. Commutator I3 also has a common wiping brush I6 connected to the brush relay coil I0 through a wiretI8 and resting against a metallic ring I9 which is electrically connected to a commutator segment 20 which cooperates with a brush 2|. The commutator I3 which is synchronized with the speed of passage of the cards, moves its segments I2 past brush I4, one for each index point position of the card.

During the passage of the card past the usual sorting brush 22, the card hole in the column analyzed coincides with the wiping of the corresponding segment I2 of the commutator I3 and as may be seen from Fig. l, energization of the brush relay I8 and sorting magnet II will be effected.

The foregoing outlines the usual operation of a sorting machine and if switch |5a is closed and switch 38 opened, ordinary sorting may be performed by the machine.

For the functioning of the machine in accordance with the present invention, switch I5a is opened and switch 38 closed. Additional commutators 39, 40 and 4| are provided which may bemounted coaxially with commutator I3 to make one revolution per card cycle therewith. A commutator brush 42 may also be carried by the same shaft to cooperate with a stationary commutator 43 to control circuits in a manner to be presently explained.

An additional brush 44 is provided in line with brush 22 and located to traverse one edge of the cards as they pass through the machine.

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of a representa tive group of cards in their order of passage through the machine; MI is the leading card of the group or the first master card; D represents the variable number of detail cards; and M2 is the last card of the group or the "second master card. The regular sorting brush 22 is positioned to traverse a perforated column on card MI. Brush 44, is in line with the cut corners of the several cards.

Assuming now that the group of cards of Fig.

2 has been placed in the machine, depression of the start key will cause feeding of card MI from the bottom of the stack, advancing its leading edge toward the tongues 24. If the card lever contacts 31 are closed thereby (which occurs before the cards reach the first tongue 24) a circuit is completed when the leading edge of the card MI- is in the dot and dash line position of Fig. 2 as follows: From source I1, wire 34, contact roller 3|, brush 44, wire 45, brush 46 of commutator 39, ring 49, contact segment 41, integral with ring 49, brush 49, card lever contacts 31a, relay coils 50, 5| and 52, wire 53 to source I1. Relay 50 closes its points 50a to provide a holding circuit from source I1, wire 53, coils 52, 5|, 50, points 50a, wire 54, brush 55 of commutator 48, brush 56, wire 34 to source N. This .circuit will hold until near the end of the cycle. Relay 5| closes its points 5Ia which bridge the now open switch |5a to permit completion of the sorting magnet circuit through a perforation in card MI.

Assuming a perforation in the 8 position in the column traversed by brush 22, a circuit is now completed from source wire 34, contact roller 3|, hole in the 8 position, brush 22, wire I5, points 5Ia in wire I5, brush I4, "8 segment I2, ring I9, brush I6, wire I8, brush relay Ill,

wire 51, sorting magnet II, wire 53 back to source. The tongues in advance of the card will thereupon be lowered and the card will continue into the gap so provided and will be conducted to the 8 sorting pocket 25.

At the same time a parallel circuit will extend from source wire 34, roller 3|, brush 22, wire I5, brushes l4, I6, wire 58, switch 38, commutator brush 42, 8 segment 59, its wire 60, 8 relay 6|, wire 53, back to source I1. A holding circuit then extends from source I'l, wire 34, brush 62, of commutator 4|, brush 63, wire 64, 8 relay points 6|a, 8 coil 6|, wire 53, back to source I|.

Since the points I01; of brush relay are closed and remain so until the end of the cycle, each of the succeeding magnets 6|, namely 7, 6, "11 and 12, are energized in turn as brush 42 engages the corresponding segments 59. The circuits therefor are traceable from source I'|, wire 34, relay contacts Illa, brush 2|, segment 20, ring I9, brush I6, wire 58, switch 38, brush 42, segments 59, wires 60, coils 6| to source as before.

Near the end of the cycle the insulating strip on commutator 4| breaks the holding circuit of magnets 6| but points 52a of relay 52, which are now closed and are wired in parallel with brushes 62, 63 of commutator 4|, shunt the brushes and maintain the circuit so that the breaking by commutator 4| is ineffective at this time. The broken holding circuit is again made as soon as brushes 62, 63 ride on the conduct-- ing portion of commutator 4| and immediately thereafter the insulating strip of commutator 40 breaks the connection between brushes 55, 56 and the holding circuit traced above breaks to cause deenergization of magnets 50, 5| and 52.

At this time, card MI is being advanced toward the "8 pocket and the first detail card D is approaching the sensing position. As the card D passes under brush 22, no sorting circuit can be completed through the brush since relay points 5|a are open and it will be noted that their closure is necessary to complete a circuit through brush 22.

However, when the 8 index point position of card I) is in line with the brushes, a circuit is completed through the sorting magnet II which is traceable as follows: From source l'l, wire 34, brushes 62, 63 of commutator ll, wire 64, points Na in the 8" position, 8 segment 59, brush 42, switch 38, wire 58, wire l8, brush relay Ill, wire 51, sorting magnet H, wire 53, back to source FL The 8 sorting pocket will thereby be selected to receive the card D and it will ultimately reach such pocket. When its "12 index'point position is in line with the brushes, brush 44 will be in contact with roller 3| because of the cutaway upper left hand corner of the detail card, so that when the insulating strip on commutator 4| again attempts to break the holding circuit of magnets 6| at this time, another parallel shunt circuit effective at the cut corner of the card D and running through brush 44 will keep magnets 6| energized until commutator ll again assumes control. This shunt circuit is traceable as follows: From source I1, wire 34, roller 3|, cut corner of card D, brush 44, wire 15, brush 46, ring ll, segment 65, brush 86, wire il, wire 64, points la, magnets Si, wire 53 to source H.

In this manner, the setup of magnets 6| will be maintained as long as detail cards D continue to be fed past the brushes, commutator ll attempting to drop the holding circuit each cycle and the cut corner of the detail card rendering the efforts of the commutator ineffective. The last card of the group, namely M2 which has no out corner, will not shunt the holding circuit and relays 6| will'be deenergized after the 8 pocket has been selected for card M2.

. Summarizing briefly, the first master card MI .renders the sorting brush 22 eifective to select a pocket in accordance with the location of the perforation in a selected card column and to set up relays 6| accordingly. During the subsequent feeding of one or, more detail cards, the relay setup automatically selects the same pocket for each detail card and the out corner of each detail card in turn acts to preserve the relay setup to select the pocket for the next succeeding card. i

The last master card M2 since it has no cu corner is unable to preserve the setup which may then be restored by commutator 4| thereby returning the entire circuit to its original condition in readiness to be adjusted under control of the first master card Ml of the next group. 1 K

It will be noted that if the card Ml of the following group is missing, all of the cards in that group will go to reject pocket 25R, passing.

beneath all the tongues 24. ,This takes place because the cut corner in the leading edge of I Ml isnecessary to condition the sorting magnet circuit for effective operation as outlined above.

While there has been shown and describedv and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of receive said group, a device settable in accordance with the pocket selected, means for.supv pressing the reading of subsequent cards of the group and means controlled by said device for repeatedly selecting a pocket for each of the other cards of the group.

2. In a sorter, means for reading tabulating cards, means controlled by said reading means to sort the cards in accordance with their desi nations, a device for controlling said sorting means independently of and subsequently to said reading means, means controlled by said reading meansfor setting said device in operation and further .means for suppressing the operation of said reading means while said device is in operation."

3. In a sorting machine having more than two pockets, means for feeding a group of cards a the number of whose individual cards may be. varied and which is preceded by a control card, card reading means, means for determining the presence of a control card at said readingmeans, means controlled by said determining means for causing said reading means to select any one of said pockets for said group in accordance with data designations on said control card, a device concurrently set up by said reading means, selector means controlled thereby for repeatedly selecting said pocket a number of times equal to the number of cards following the control card to receive each of the remaining cards of the group in succession and means controlled by the last card of the group for terminating the selecting operations of said device.

4. In a sorting machine, a plurality of sorting pockets, means controlled by perforated cards for selectively depositing such cards into said a circuit controlled by said reading means,

means controlled by said circuit for sorting the cards selectively into any one of said pockets,'a

selector device for controlling said circuit independently of the reading means to cause said sorting means ,to subsequently repeat its operation under control of said selector device, means for continuing the repeated operation of said device and means controlled by the cards for determining the number of repeated operations.

I CLAIR D. LAKE. 

